Category: Upper South Providence

Harvesting Hope is an annual fundraiser featuring food grown by Southside Community Land Trust-supported farmers to highlight the organization’s work to build a sustainable, local food system. Attendees will hear about our recent projects, including our work to connect land owners with aspiring farmers seeking affordable property where they can grow food. Harvesting Hope will take place from 6-8:30 p.m. on Tues., Sept. 25, at the Squantum Association, at 947 Veterans Memorial Pkwy., Riverside, RI.

This year, we’ve invited chefs from several of Rhode Island’s most exciting restaurants – including Gracie’s, Red Fin Crudo, Walrus & Carpenter and Bayberry – to develop small plates featuring fresh produce grown by farmers around the state who participate in our land access, farmer training and apprenticeship programs. The event will also offer wines and a signature cocktail by Bottles Fine Wine and beer brewed for the event by Union Station Brewery. Last year’s event co-chair, Gracie’s Chef Matthew Varga, will continue to participate in the event. Besides the high quality of the produce grown locally, what Varga most appreciates about SCLT is its work to grow a local, sustainable food system – and healthy food itself – that is available to anyone in the state who wants it. “They do so much for Providence and Rhode Island to promote high-quality food, and to help farmers, refugees and community gardeners. It’s incredible to see how they have grown and the amount of impact they have on the community.”

Tickets run $100 for the 6-8:30 p.m. main event and $150 for 5 p.m. entry to the pre-event cocktail party. Both include two drinks and can be purchased at http://www.501auctions.com/harvestinghope. SCLT manages a network of 52 community gardens and urban farms, 21 of which it owns in Providence’s most economically challenged neighborhoods (Olneyville, the Southside and West End), where fresh, healthy food is least available. In addition to providing access to land SCLT offers education and agricultural resources so people in Rhode Island can grow food in environmentally sustainable ways, and create community food systems where locally produced, affordable and healthy food is available to all. SCLT is located at 109 Somerset Street in Providence, RI, 02907. For more information, please call 401-273-9419, or visit www.southsideclt.org

PROVIDENCE, RI – The Roger Williams Park Conservancy is presenting free, family-friendly films on Friday evenings at sunset on the Roger Williams Park Boathouse Lawn, across from the Carousel Village. Presented in partnership with the Providence Children’s Film Festival, all events start with a selection of short films and will last approximately two hours. Film screenings follow Food Truck Fridays at the Carousel Village, allowing audiences to enjoy a night out at Roger Williams Park for dinner and a movie.

Movies in the Park 2018 schedule:

Friday, July 20: Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory (1971)

Charlie, a poor but hopeful boy, seeks one of five coveted golden tickets for a tour of Willy Wonka’s mysterious chocolate factory – a mind-bending world of pure imagination.

Friday, August 3: Landfill Harmonic (2015)

A film about the transformative power of music, Landfill Harmonic shares the true story of an unlikely orchestra: a garbage picker, a music teacher and a group of children from Paraguay who play instruments made from repurposed junk.

Friday, August 17: The Muppets (2011)

When three Muppet fans learn that a greedy oil mogul wants to drill under the Muppet Theater, they set out to regroup the Muppets and put on one last show to save the theater.

For more information about Movies in the Park and other summer events presented by the Roger Williams Park Conservancy, visitwww.RWPConservancy.org or contact Info@RWPConservancy.org. For Movies in the Park news and schedule updates, follow the Roger Williams Park Conservancy on Facebook or Twitter.

For the past 4 years, the Sankofa World Market has been celebrating the food, culture, and community that makes up the West End of Providence! This year, West Elmwood Housing Development Corporation will be celebrating the beginning of our 5th Market season with entertainment, food, and more!

Head to Knight Memorial Library on EVERY Wednesday from 2 to 6pm for:

Produce grown locally by our Sankofa Market Vendors

Fun family-friendly activities

Live performers from our community

Local artisan crafts and food

Want to be involved behind the scenes? We are looking for people to volunteer with set-up, assist us during the event, and break-down.

Don’t want your children to fall behind in school and be ready for to start the school year? Enroll them into the Boys & Girls Clubs of Providence Summer Learning Program and let’s prevent their summer learning loss together!

What is Summer Learning Loss?

Summer learning loss is the loss of academic skills and knowledge over the course of summer holidays. The loss in learning varies across grade level, subject matter, and family income. For some students, they can generally lose about 2 months of reading achievement.

The scholarship will be granted to students without reference to excellence in scholarship and prefers students unable to obtain other aid. Please click below for more information, as well as the application form.

We hope you take this opportunity to share news of the Bradford scholarship to any seniors graduating from public high schools in Providence, or young people currently enrolled in technical or undergraduate degree-granting programs!

The CPC’s decision made at its February meeting included the granting of waivers from submission of all required plans for state approvals as well as a reduction in required parking. There are conditions for these approvals such as allowing a lien on the property at 334 Carpenter for parking assurances for 1292 Westminster and several others (see February CPC minutes for details).

While the Zoning Board of Review is not scheduled to hear public testimony on May 9, it makes an impact to have a crowd of stakeholders present at the meeting. Neighbors are encouraged to attend and, if possible, make your opinion known silently by holding signs that reflect your concerns & opposition.

For background on this issue including related articles, documents, and design plans, click here.

Building off the success of last year’s Community Energy Fair, the Office of Sustainability is once again partnering with the Rhode Island Sierra Club, People’s Power & Light, and others to host this year’s SustainPVD Fair.

Events will include the Compost Workshop, Rain Barrel Workshop, information on how to reduce waste and make your home more energy efficient, and how to go solar. There will also be a special workshop hosted by the Racial and Environmental Justice Committee to learn about Energy Democracy and the City’s goal to become carbon neutral by 2050. This community event will be family friendly and include free food and music.

We are looking for vendors to complete the event with interactive exhibits. Attendees will be guided through the event with volunteers and a worksheet to help them take in all the information and encourage them to engage with vendors. Apply via this form by April 30th. Space is limited and preference will be given to those who demonstrate creative and active displays, as well as those who can provide information in Spanish. The goal of the event is for participants to walk away with resources and information to help them take action in their home, at work, and throughout their community to help make Providence greener and healthier.

Every ten years, the Federal Government makes a complete count of everyone in the United States. The U.S. Census aims to count the entire population at the location where each person usually lives. The next census is due in 2020.

Providence County Leads the Way!

Providence County is the national test site for the 2020 census. Starting this month, Providence Community Library will assist the U.S. Census Bureau and the City of Providence to test operations and procedures for gathering information during the 2020 census. The goal of the test is to count everyone once, only once, and in the right place. Providence County will help fine tune the model that will be rolled out nationwide in 2020. All people in Providence County, including college students, who are resident on Census Test Day, April 1, will be included in the Census Complete Count Test.

How to Complete the Test

The Census Complete Count Test questionnaire is available online and you can fill it out on any computer device or smartphone. The questionnaire, which can also be answered by phone or returned by mail, includes ten basic questions about you and your household and takes less than ten minutes to complete.

Completed Returns are Confidential

Returns are protected by law (Title I3 of the U.S. code, Section 9) and are strictly confidential. It is illegal for the U.S.Census Bureau, or its employees, to share personal information with any other government agency, including law enforcement, IRS, Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), FBI, Immigration, etc. Census returns are sealed and not available as public documents for 72 years.

Why is it important to get an accurate count in the Census?

Federal funds, grants and support to states, counties and communities are based on population totals and breakdowns by sex, age, race and other factors. Your community benefits the most when the census counts everyone. When you respond to the census, you help your community gets its fair share of the more than $675 billion per year in federal funds spent on schools, hospitals, roads, public works and other vital programs.

Why the Census Matters to our Libraries

Over the last five years, Providence Community Library has received a substantial amount of funding from the US Department of Housing and Urban Development through the City of Providence to support our Spanish GED program and pay for repairs and improvements to our buildings. The availability of that funding depends in part on the accuracy of the US Census. The Census is important to Providence and to PCL!

Help Providence Help You by Completing the Census Test!

When you do the math, it’s easy to see how an accurate count of residents can help the community. Better infrastructure. More services. A brighter tomorrow for everyone. Let’s make the 2018 Complete Census Count Test count for all of us in Providence County. Encourage everyone you know to go online and answer the few questions so the whole country will see the strength and commitment we have to create a better community!

Providence County households have a unique opportunity to help our community and nation get an accurate population count in the 2020 Census. We are the only test site in the U.S. in 2018, and it is exciting to know that we are helping to create the model that the whole country will follow in 2020. Let’s set the bar high for the most complete count possible! The goal is to count every person living in Providence County.

Census Day for the test is April 1, 2018 and Providence County households are able to respond online beginning on March 16. Letters were mailed to households with information about the test and how to respond. For the first time, you will be able to respond to the census online using desktop computers, laptops, smartphones or tablets. You can also respond by phone or on paper.

Your census responses are safe, secure and protected by law. Every Census Bureau employee swears a lifetime oath to protect your information, and could go to jail or be fined up to $250,000 if they violate that oath. It is illegal for the Census Bureau, or its employees, to share your personal information with any other government agency, local law enforcement, IRS, Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), FBI, Immigration, etc. Not even the President of the United States can access your individual responses. Individual records from the Census are sealed for 72 years.

Everyone Counts!
– Children count! Remember to include young children on your census form.
– College students count! College students living in Providence County on April 1 should be counted.
– Citizens and noncitizens alike count! The Constitution requires the census to count every resident in the nation— whether they are citizens or not.
Responding is easy, safe and important. The census test asks just a few questions and takes about 10 minutes to respond.

Why is it important to get an accurate count in the Census? Census data are used in many ways, affecting our daily lives. Some examples include:
– Distribution of more than $675 billion annually in federal funds back to state, local, and tribal governments.
– Redistricting of state legislative districts.
– Forecasting of future transportation needs for all segments of the population.
– Determining areas eligible for housing assistance and rehabilitation loans.
– Assisting federal, tribal, state, and local governments in planning and implementing programs and services and emergency response.
– Designing facilities for people with disabilities, the elderly, and children.

Over the last five years Providence Community Library has received a substantial amount of CDBG funding to support our Spanish GED program and to do major repairs on our libraries. That funding comes from the US Dept. of Housing and Urban Development and what is allocated to Providence in total for CDBG funds is partially dependent on census data. Having the opportunity to impact that funding through encouraging everyone to be counted is exciting to us because we can serve more people!

It is easy to see what an accurate count of residents can do for your community. Better infrastructure. More services. A brighter tomorrow for everyone. Let’s make the 2018 Census Test count for all of us in Providence County, and show our commitment to creating a better community. Encourage everyone you know to respond!

Questions about the Census:

Once you fill out the Census, do you get a confirmation page?

Yes, there is a confirmation page you can print or save as a PDF from the Internet Self Response.

How does the non-response follow up period work on college campuses? How do you reach students who don’t fill out the form?

College dorms are part of the Group Quarters Enumeration (GQE) operation. We will call all GQs during our GQ Advance Contact operation from June 18 to July 10, 2018. GQ enumeration is planned for July 30 – Aug 24, 2018. The facilities will be able to respond without involving the students, via electronic response data transfer or paper response data collection. We will encourage colleges to assist us in counting the students using data from their records (and preferably electronically) since the data collection is taking place significantly later than reference day.

For off-campus housing in 2018, we will follow the regular non-response follow-up (NRFU) procedures. We understand that students may have left the area by the time NRFU operations begin, but we will do the best we can. (In 2020, we will do Early NRFU in the blocks identified as having off-campus housing, which will start in early April.)

How does the homeless population fill out the Census if they do not receive a home ID number?

We count people experiencing homelessness in our Targeted NonSheltered Outdoor Locations (TNSOL) operation. For 2018, enumerators will visit known outdoor locations in an overnight operation in late July to collect census information from any individuals currently staying there.

Shelters for people experiencing homelessness will be part of the GQE operation. We will call all facilities during our GQ Advance Contact operation from June 18 to July 10, 2018. We will ask questions to determine the best time to conduct the enumeration, how many enumerators and materials we need to send, and to ascertain facility rules, logistics and safety concerns.

Which languages will the Census form/Census marketing materials be available in? Both for the test and the 2020 Census? Can the Census still be filled out in languages not included (e.g. Portuguese)?

The Enumeration instrument is available in Spanish. There are currently no plans for promotional materials.

Will “Jane or John Doe” be permitted on census forms for households concerned about privacy?

Yes, we instruct the enumerators that they can enter nicknames or Person 1, Person 2 etc. if the respondent does not want to provide their real name.